Allamakee County barns part of 15th Annual Iowa Barn Foundation All-State Barn Tour

Historic restored barns throughout Iowa will be opened to the public during the Iowa Barn Foundation’s free, self-guided 2015 All-State Barn Tour Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27. The Tour will take place from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. each day and will include a trio of barns located in Allamakee County among the nearly 90 structures included in this year's Tour.
Most barns on the tour have been restored with matching grants from the Iowa Barn Foundation. Other property owners received Awards of Distinction from the
Foundation for restorations they undertook themselves.
The Iowa Barn Foundation, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization founded in 1997 by a group of folks with Iowa roots, raises money from individuals, foundations and corporations to give matching grants to property owners to restore their barns. The barns must be restored as closely as possible to original. The property owner must sign a perpetual easement when receiving a grant. This is the only group of its kind in the country.
The purpose of the tour is to encourage barn preservation in the state, to teach young people about Iowa's rich agricultural heritage, and to renew pride in this unique heritage. Owners will discuss the barns and their histories at many stops. Visitors are expected from around the country. The effort has encouraged barn preservation throughout Iowa and beyond.
The tour is free, although donations to support the foundation's work are appreciated. Among the 10 barns listed on the Tour located in the northeast portion of the state are three barns located in Allamakee County, including the following:
• Scholtes barn,  located at 2207 Gruber Ridge Road, Lansing. Take Highway 9 out of Waukon toward Lansing. Two miles west of Lansing turn north on Gruber Ridge Road and travel two and a half miles. The Scholtes barn is a 1920s barn on a beautiful site dedicated to the family's sheep operation.
• Chimney Rock Ranch barn, located at 1245 Chimney Rock Road, Waterville. From the stoplight intersection in Waukon, travel east on Elon Road (A52) about 6.8 miles to Chimney Rock Road intersection. Turn right onto Chimney Rock Road and travel south. The large building is a corn crib, granary, hog barn and machine shed and was built in two parts in 1907-1908. The corncrib/granary has a basement for hogs.  The second part of the building was added to the north end of the original building later that year or the next year. This barn has been honored with the Award of Distinction by the Iowa Barn Foundation for restoration efforts undertaken by the property owner.
• Kolsrud barn, located at 1243 Gjefle Drive, Waukon. From the intersection of Highways 9 and 76, one mile south of Waukon, travel 4.7 miles east on Highway 76 toward Rossville. About 1.7 miles west of Rossville turn left on Cardinal Road (gravel). Travel l.l miles, curving to the north. Turn right onto Gjefle Drive (gravel) and follow it east and northeast for half a mile to the barn.
The Kolsrud barn was built in 1870. Jacob Johnson came from Norway and purchased the barn with 80 acres in 1862. He paid $500 for the farm. Timber used in the barn is from the farm, and the rock for the foundation was quarried just 100 yards from the barn location. Oxen were used to help build the barn.
For more information about the Iowa Barn Foundation or the 2015 All-State Barn Tour, visit www.iowabarnfoundation.org.